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Did BBC hire a 'fake vicar' to back Theresa May's Brexit deal on Newsnight? Viewers discover guest is actress who appeared in Star Wars and EastEnders and claims to have been ordained by a US evangelist
- Lynn Hayter appeared on Newsnight on Monday to defend the Brexit agreement
- She appeared sporting a dog collar and fiercely debated five other panellists
- She has worked as an extra, who performs under her middle name Marina
By
Terri-ann Williams For Mailonline and
Sebastian Murphy-bates For Mailonline and
Paul Thompson for MailOnline
Published: 13:15 AEDT, 30 November 2018 | Updated: 23:41 AEDT, 30 November 2018
The BBC has come under fire after it booked a Star Wars extra who calls herself a pastor through an agency for a Brexit discussion.
The broadcaster denied hiring a 'fake vicar' to appear on its flagship political programme after social media users hit out at the corporation.
Lynn Hayter appeared on Newsnight on Monday to defend Prime Minister
Theresa May's
Brexit withdrawal agreement on the UK leaving the European Union.
Today she angrily denied she had been paid by the BBC as she spoke to MailOnline outside her home.
Ms Hayter, whose 'ordination' seems to have come in the form of a certificate from a US televangelist, said: 'I was not paid by the BBC . They did not pay me. I was contacted by an independent organisation and asked to appear.'
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Miss Hayter appeared on last night's political panel sporting a dog collar after she was selected through an agency, she claims
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Miss Hayter is pictured here, on the left, waving her hands in worship at a church in an unknown location
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The actor is pictured here as an extra in the Blockbuster movie Star Wars: The Force Awakens
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Viewers were baffled by the appearance as some accused the broadcaster of planting her as a backer of May's plan
Hayter, who was dressed in a bright red tracksuit, was pulled inside her North West London home by a friend.
Speaking from behind the door the 51-year-old said 'of course' she is a pastor and added that to lie about it on national TV would be 'stupid and crazy.'
Lynn, from Wembley, north west London, said: 'I wouldn't be on TV lying about something like that, that's stupid and crazy. A person can easily be a pastor and an actress at the same time.'
She added: 'I belong to a church in America that I attend online. I do not need to travel to attend my church.
'I have a pastor in America that covers me and I attend the church via their social media channels.'
Neighbours said they knew Hayter was an actress but were not aware she was a pastor or wore a dog collar.
'That is news to me' said one neighbour. We all knew she was an actress. She is very friendly and has talked about her work.'
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Miss Hayter can be seen in this image gesturing with her arm on the right-hand side as she defends May's Brexit plan
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Lynn Hayter (pictured appearing on last night's Newsnight show) spoke on a Newsnight panel last night, leading to questions as to how she was allowed on the show
Twitter users weighed in on Miss Hayter's appearance and it was dubbed as 'Vicargate'
Miss Hayter is listed as a pastor on Facebook at a group called Seeds for Wealth Ministries, which claims to 'help you realise, release and walk into your financial freedom in Christ'.
She was not referred to as a priest in the BBC captioning and panellists sourced through the broadcaster's production methods were told to wear their normal clothes.
But she has also worked as an on-screen extra, and has a profile listing her profession as 'actor' on the social media site.
When she launched Seeds for Wealth in a YouTube video, she hinted that she has been involved in ministry before.
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This Twitter user wasn't convinced by Miss Hayter's appearance as a pastor on the BBC, much like other viewers. She is pictured here addressing a congregation in worship
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A shot from Star Wars: The Force Awakens featuring Revered Hayter in her bar worker role
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The actress (pictured in character) has not only appeared in Star Wars but also EastEnders, which led viewers to believe that she was a plant
'I'm going back into ministry - the lord has called me back,' she said. 'God's put a message on my heart hes equipped me and I'm going for it.'
But she does not mention if anybody has ordained her, nor does she appear to have an actual church as she petitions viewers to invite her to talk.
'I have been called to unlock the seeds that are in each and every one of us and in doing so that will take you to a higher level that will release you into your financial freedom,' she says. 'Your'e going to have to invite me to your church to have me preach.'
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She claims to have been 'endorsed' by American evangelist Mike Murdock from The Wisdom Centre, calling him her 'pastor and mentor' and tweeting a certificate he awarded her after she took part of his Jerusalem Project.
She tweeted a picture of Murdock's Mind Bible book, which he sells as part of a $99 'Ministry 6 PAK'.
Other pictures on her Twitter profile show the pair meeting and social media shows that she has been to his events in the US and also seen him when he has visited London.
In the video online she invites people to send her Christian-themed items to sell on her Seeds for Wealth store on Amazon.
Miss Hayter, who performs under her middle name Marina, recently appeared in the blockbuster film Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.
This has led to accusations that the BBC hired her specifically to appear on the show playing the part of a vicar.
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As many asked whether or not there was any proof that Ms Hayter has been ordained, this apparent pastor certificate was found on her Twitter, signed by evangelist Mike Murdock
The argument was dubbed 'Vicargate', with some on social media convinced she was acting.
Labour peer Andrew Adonis waded into the furore, telling his Twitter followers he believed Miss Hayter to be a fake.
He sarcastically commented 'Lynn is a pastor' and I am the Pope', before calling her a 'fake pastor' and accusing the BBC of 'a reign of lies'.
Miss Maitlis quickly reprimanded Lord Adonis, warning him 'not to become a peddler of fake news'.
She tweeted: 'Not in this day and age. Not when we need our parliamentarians to be better and more trusted than ever.